Our goal: For the dozen dishes under $15, we avoided small plates, which have become increasingly common on local menus, and sought out substantial servings, some big enough to split. We included classics on the list, jambalaya and smoked chicken, for instance, but also entrees that illustrate how sophisticated food doesn’t have to be prohibitively priced.

The smoke-roasted chicken at High Hat Café deserves the type of praise typically saved for far more exotic ingredients and pricey entrees. Making it requires a process that begins with charred hickory chips in the smoker and ends in the oven, where the chicken is basted with butter. You get half a bird per order. The crunchy skin is glossy and golden, black-pepper-flecked and powerfully addictive. The meat, both white and dark, is equally juicy. It comes with your choice of a side, which sets up a tough moment of decision-making. The macaroni is amped up with pimento cheese, the al dente green beans are sweated with applewood-smoked bacon, and the stone-ground grits are some of the best in the city.